Spider-Man 2
Director Sam Raimi

Your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man returns. If you liked the first one, you'll love the second. Even if you didn't like the first one or haven't seen it, you'll love this one. There are plenty of reason why this is a great movie. This movie is about the characters not the stars that play them. I am sick of Hollywood making movies about their stars. Troy wasn't about Troy. It was about Brad Pitt. Brad is a good look guy, but I can careless about him. Unfortunately most Hollywood movies are about their larger then life stars and not the actual movie. Spider-man 2 is about spider-man not Tobey Maguire nor Kirsten Dunst or anyone else in the cast or behind the scenes.

The movie starts off with Peter Parker running late to his rewarding high paying job as a pizza deliveryman in New York City. The pizza shop owner tells Parker he has to deliver a stack of pizza some 50 blocks away in 10 minutes or he is fired. Later that day, Parker is jobless and is again late with the rent for his fortress of solitude studio apartment in a rundown building next to the subway track owned by a Russian family. I have seen shoeboxes cleaner and larger then his studio. In most movies, the hero is always set-up with a posh living conditions and an easy love interest; as it is in real life. Parker's theme of been late continues in the movie. He is late for everything; from school to seeing his love interest Mary Jane perform on Broadway. His moonlighting duties as spider-man are causing him to lose his mind and all his friends. Parker is force to make a change. His crime saving duties as spider-man is making his life miserable. While Parker is making his decisions, the villain appears in the form of Doc Ock. In the beginning, Doc Ock. doesn't care about the web-masked man or anyone for that matter. It isn't until Harry Osborn; Peter Parker's best friend commissions Doc Ock. to capture spider-man that they confront each other with anger.

There is much more to the plot of Spider-man. I am not going into any more detail.

What makes this a great movie is the combination of great character development, special effects and a gripping story line. I can relate Peter Parker's character to just about anyone; an alcohol, a successful businessman or a punk rocker. People are faced with life changing decisions everyday. Parker isn't asked to be the hero. He chooses to do so and his life as Peter Parker suffer because of it. Go see the movie and loose yourself for two hours. (Howard Van Lam)
Rating: A Must See!!!